Weft stop motion for shuttleless looms

ABSTRACT

A weft stop motion for a weaving loom of the shuttleless type, in which the weft thread is fed from a stationary weft supply bobbin and is thence inserted through the warp shed by means of a weft thread inserter, such as a needle, said inserter being reciprocated from side to side of the loom through the warp shed, said weft stop motion comprising: weft senser means responsive to the running of the weft thread from a weft thread supply to the weft thread inserter; and control means responsive to said senser means to actuate a loom-stopping device whenever the weft thread fails to run from the said supply to the said weft thread inserter.

United States Patent [1 1 Gardella [4 1 Oct. 15, 1974 l WEFT STOP MOTIONFOR SHUTTLELESS LOOMS [76] Inventor: Adriano Gardella, 24 B, Via Al Capodi Santa Chiara, Genoa, Italy [22] Filed: June 12, 1972 211 Appl. No.:261,961

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONSFrance 139/370 Primary Examiner-Henry S. Jaudon Attorney, Agent, orFirmLarson, Taylor & Hinds [57] ABSTRACT A weft stop motion for aweaving loom of the shuttleless type, in which the weft thread is fedfrom a stationary weft supply bobbin and is thence inserted through thewarp shed by means of a weft thread inserter, such as a needle, saidinserter being reciprocated from side to side of the loom through thewarp shed, said weft stop motion comprising: weft senser meansresponsive to the running of the weft thread from a weft thread supplyto the weft thread inserter; and control means responsive to said sensermeans to actuate a loom-stopping device whenever the weft thread failsto run from the said supply to the said weft thread inserter.

12 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 1 WEFT STOP MOTION FOR SHUTTLELESS LOOMSBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Inweaving looms of the shuttleless type, itis known to provide a weft stop motion which is arranged to the sideofthe weft thread path at a point between the weft supply bobbin and theweft thread inserter. Each time a weft thread breaking occurs downstreamof the weft stop motion, for example in a part of the weft threadinserter, a weft thread length is left lingering behind in the saidthread path. Now, weft stop motions known heretofore comprise a senserwhich is operative if a length of the weft thread exists in said threadpath, irrespectively of the thread conditions at/or downstream of theweft thread inserter. On the other hand, it is apparent that said lengthof weft thread in said path, not only exists when the weft thread isrunning from the supply to the inserter in normal operation of the loom,but it also exists when said running is stopped upon breaking of theweft thread at/or downstream of the inserter. Thus, whenever such abreaking of the weft thread occurs, the weft stop motion responsive tothe said length of the weft thread existing in said path, isineffective, since the senser will sense said length of the thread beingleft lingering, as being alength of the weft thread running in thenormal operation of the loom.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is intended to overcomesuch a serious drawback and, to this end it provides a weft stop motionwhich is responsive to the running of the weft thread along the pathbetween the weft supply bobbin and the weft thread inserter in a weavingloom of the shuttleless type, thus effectively cutting off the feedingof weft thread from the weft thread supply, any time the said running ofthe weft thread is stopped upon breaking of the weft thread being wovenin the loom.

Accordingly, it is a main object of the present invention to provide aweft stop motion for shuttleless weaving looms, said weft stop motioncomprising weft thread senser means responsive to the running of theweft thread along said path; and control means responsive to said sensermeans to control operation of a loom-stopping device any time the weftthread breaks somewhere along or beyond said weft thread path.

Another object of the invention is to provide in said weft stop motion,a weft thread senser having a movable feeler element adapted to beentrained by the weft thread; and an actuating element operativelyconnected to said feeler element to actuate said control means tooperate the loom stopping device any time the weft thread fails to run;said feeler element being movable between a watching position in whichthe entraining weft thread is running while the actuating element isprevented from actuating said control means; and a warningposition inwhich the running of said entraining weft thread has failed and theactuating element is thus allowed to actuate said control means tooperate said loom-stopping device.

Conveniently, the feeler element comprises a thin plate swingablymounted, which extends towards the weft thread and has a fork-shapedfree end; and the actuating element comprises microswitch contacts whichare connected in an electric actuating circuit for the said controlmeans of the loom-stopping device.

However, with such a weft stop motion responsive to the running of theweft thread, a problem might arise, because in shuttleless weavinglooms, the running of the weft thread is due to stop for a short whileat both of the travel ends of the weft thread inserter across the warp,at which ends the weft thread inserter reverses the direction of itsstroke.

In order to prevent the occurrence, during these short stop times inwhich the running of the weft thread is holding, of the weft stop motionbeing unduly operated to operate the loom-stopping device just as if itwere the case of a weft breakage, the invention further provides aconcurrent hold-up of the weft thread motion. This concurrent hold-up ofthe weft thread motion may be achieved by providing suitable additionalactu-.

ating means, for example electric gating contact means, which areautomatically switched on and off in timed relationship with the stroketravel of the weft thread inserter.

Alternatively, to the weft stop motion might be imparted a reciprocatingmovement towards and away from the said weft thread, in timedrelationship with the reciprocating movement of the weft threadinserter, in such a way that the feeler element of the weft stop motionwill come into engagement with the weft thread only during the timeintervals in which the said weft thread inserter is effectively movingbetween the opposite ends of its stroke travel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a part of a shuttleless loom provided witha weft stop motion according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the weft stop motion according to the invention, in avertical section and with the movable weft feeler being moved away fromthe weft thread;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 ofthe same weft stop motion, in a position corresponding to that shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows the weft stop motion of the kind as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,in a vertical section and with the movable weft feeler being movednearer to a weft thread while running;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 ofthe same weft stop motion, in the same position as shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows in a vertical section a part of the weft stop motion asshown in FIGS. 2 to 5, with the weft feeler being drawn near to astationary weft thread.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to thedrawings, and first particularly to FIG. 1, the numeral 1 denotes theweft thread-inserting needle of a shuttleless loom. This weftthread-inserting needle 1 is of tubular shape and is disposed in ahorizontal position, transversely to the warp 4. At of its rear end,which is remote from the warp 4, the weft threadinserting needle 1 issecured to a needle carriage 2 which is slidable on a fixed guide 3mounted parallel to said needle I and arranged on one side of the warp4. To the needle carriage 2 is imparted a reciprocating movement on theslide guide 3, as shown by the double arrow F, for example by means of aswingable driving arm 5 pivotally mounted onto the carriage 2, the wholebeing so arranged that the weft thread-inserting needle 1 is insertedinto the shed of warp 4 and is caused to run in a forward directionuntil the fore end of the needle has reached the opposite side (notshown) of said warp, the weft thread-inserting needle 1 being then drawnback again into its illustrated starting position. The weft thread 6 isfed from a supply bobbin 7 arranged in a fixed position to the side ofthe warp, on the same side as the weft thread-inserting needle 1. Theweft thread is unwound from this supply bobbin 7 and is guided topenetrate into the aft end of the weft thread inserting needle 1, and isthence longitudinally threaded therethrough, so as to come out of itsfore end, then is inserted together with the needle through the warpshed of the fabric 8. This insertion of the weft thread by means of theweft thread-inserting needle 1 and the formation of the fabric are wellknown in the art.

Between the supply bobbin 7 and the weft thread inserting needle 1 thereis arranged the weft stop motion, generally indicated at 9, which isdisposed between an inlet annular thread guide and an outlet annularthread guide 11. The weft thread 6 fed from the supply bobbin 7 passesthrough both annular thread guides 10 and 11, which are co-axial to oneanother, and then through the weft stop motion 9 before entering the aftend of the weft thread-inserting needle 1. As an alternative, the supplybobbin 7 may be arranged beneath the reciprocating travel path of theweft threadinserting needle 1, and may be provided with a vertical orinclined axis, while both thread guides 10 and 11 are co-axiallyarranged, the one above the other, in the manner as shown in FIGS. 2, 4and 6. In the diagrammatic view as shown in FIG. 1, the supply bobbin 7,the two annular thread guides 10 and 11, and also the weft stop motion9, which is interposed therebetween, have been shown, for the sake ofclarity, turned from a substantially vertical plane, in which the sameactually lie, to a substantially horizontal plane being parallel to theplane of the warp 4.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 6, the weft stop motion 9 is constituted by afixedly mounted horizontally arranged support 12 which is fitted betweenthe two superposed annular thread guides 10, 11, and in which a verticalbore 13, co-axially arranged with respect to the said thread guides, isprovided for the weft thread 6 to be passed therethrough. Onto the saidsupport 12, on one side of the weft thread 6, there is fixedly mounted amicroswitch 14 having a horizontally actuated push button 15 whichextends towards the weft thread 6. Onto the end of this pushbutton 15there is mounted a head 16 to which two horizontally arranged supportingarms 17 are laterally secured, which arms extend parallel to thepushbutton 15, on both sides of the weft thread 6.

Onto the support 12, a feeler-carrying fork 18 is also mounted, which isslidably mounted transversely to the weft thread 6 and parallel to thehorizontal actuation axis of the actuation pushbutton 15 of themicroswitch 14. The prongs of this fork 18 extend on both sides of thefixedly mounted microswitch 14 in the direction of the weft thread andbeyond the same, and at their free outer parts the said prongs areguided by two vertically arranged sidewalls 19 secured to the support12, said sidewalls 19 carrying the upper thread guide 11 on the oppositeside viz. behind the microswitch 14, while the transverse bar 118 of thefeeler-carrying fork 18 is connected to a rod 20, slidably guided withina sleeve 21 which is secured to the support 12. To this rod one arm of abell-crank lever 23 is hinged at 22, and the said lever is pivotallymounted onto a fixed pivot 24. The other arm of this bell-crank lever 23is hinged at 25 to a driving rod 26 which can be reciprocated in thedirection of the double arrow F1 by any suitable driving element of theweaving loom in timed relationship with the reciprocating movement ofthe weft threadinserting needle 1, as will be further explainedhereinafter.

On the side of the weft thread 6 which is opposite from the microswitch14, a horizontal pin 27 is transversely fastened onto the free ends ofthe prongs of the feeler-carrying fork 18, onto which a feeler 28,consti tuted by a thin plate, is swingably mounted. This feeler 28extends towards the weft thread 6 and has a forkshaped free end by meansof which it bears upon the supporting arms 17 which are integral to thehead 16 of the pushbottom 15 of the microswitch 14. Above the swingablefeeler 28, a transversely arranged abutment pin 29 is secured in thefeeler-carrying fork 18.

The feeler-carrying fork 18 is operated in such a manner as to beshifted to the left-hand side in the Figures, thus shifting the feeler28 away from the weft thread 6, during those time intervals in which theweft thread-inserting needle 1 is at either end of its travel throughthe warp shed where it reverses the direction of its stroke, andconsequently it stops for a while, so that also the weft thread 6 istemporarily at rest. This position of the feelercarrying fork 18 isshown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and while being in this position, the feeler 28does not engage the weft thread 6, and is horizontally disposed, so asto bear upon the supporting arms 17 being integral with the pushbutton15. At this time there is no abutting movement of 15 or 16 to the rightand therefore no actuation of switch 14.

During those time intervals in which the weft threadinserting needle 1is being effectively operated, that is, it is caused to perform itsforward and backward run through the shed of the warp 4, thus entrainingthe weft thread 4 being unwound from the supply bobbin 7, thefeeler-carrying fork 18 is on the contrary moved to the right-hand sidein the Figures, towards the microswitch 14, in such a manner as to drawthe feeler 28 near to the said microswitch 14, and as to bring the sameinto engagement with the weft thread 6.

This position of the feeler-carrying fork 18 is shown in FIGS. 4 to 6.So long as no breaking of the weft thread occurs and therefore the weftthread 6 is running regularly in the direction as shown by the arrow F2in FIG. 4, the feeler 28 is carried along by the weft thread 6 in thedirection of its run, that is upwardly, and is rocked up about the pin27 to reach the abutment member 29, thus assuming an inclined inactiveposition, in which it does not engage the pushbutton l5 horizontally toactuate the microswitch 14, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. On the contrary,any time a weft breaking occurs and therefore the weft thread 6 ismissing or is lingering behind, the feeler 28 cannot be anymore drivenby said thread and therefore it is not rocked upwardly into its inactiveposition as shown in FIG. 4, so that it maintains its horizontalposition as shown in FIG. 2, and bears upon the supporting arms 17 beingintegral of the pushbutton 15. Thus, any time the feelercarrying fork 18is shifted towards the microswitch 14, the horizontally lying feeler 28will frontally abut against the head 16 of the pushbutton 15, so as topush inwardly the same pushbutton 15, thereby actuating the microswitch14, in the manner as shown in FIG. 6 and further shown by dot-and-dashlines in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 2 a spring 30 may be provided to urgethe feeler 28 towards the microswitch. The actuation of the microswitchl4 promotes the stopping of the loom and/or operates a warning devicesignalling that the weft is broken.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described mainlyby way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is notintended to be limited thereto, in that many variations andmodifications thereof will be apparent to the whim of those skilled inthe art, without departing from the spirit and the scope of theinvention as hereinabove explained and as claimed in the appendedclaims.

Thus, for example, the invention might be also applied to other types ofshuttleless weaving looms, e.g. those having weft thread-inserting steeltapes, or having a plurality of supply bobbins, which may be arrangedabove the weft thread inserters, or anywhere, even at a level higherthan the warp level. Furthermore, instead of acting upon an electricalcontact or microswitch, the weft stop motion movable feeler responsiveto the running of the thread might co-operate with other control memberssuch as a mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic member, wherein the linesto and from the device 14 of FIG. 2 would represent fluid lines ratherthan electrical lines, devised for controlling the loom-stopping devicefor stopping the loom in the event of a weft breaking, and/or foractivating a suitable warning device as shown at schematically at 31 inFIG. 2.

I claim:

1. A weft stop motion for shuttleless weaving looms operatively arrangedbetween the weft thread supply means and the weft thread inserter,comprising:

a weft senser means,

a control means,

means for mounting said weft senser means for movement relative to thecontrol means between an inactive position and an active position, theactive position including an actuating position in which the weft sensermeans actuates the control means and a non-actuating position in whichactuation of the control means is excluded,

said seft senser means being movable into the path of the weft as theweft senser means moves from the inactive position to the activeposition, said weft senser means being positioned such that as it movesfrom said inactive position to said active position, (a) a moving threadentrains the weft senser means and moves it into said non-actuatingposition and (b) if the thread is not running, the weft senser meansmoves into said actuating position to actuate the control means.

2. A weft stop motion according to claim 1, in which the control meansactuated by the senser means stop the operation of the loom.

3. A weft stop motion according to claim 1, in which the control meansactuated by the senser means actuate a signaling means.

4. A weft stop motion according to claim 1, in which means are providedto exclude the actuation of the control means by the associated sensermeans when- 6 ever the weft thread inserter, during the normal operationof the loom, reverses its movement at either end of its stroke.

5. A weft stop motion according to claim I, in which said senser meanscomprise a supporting member and an oscillating feeler member mountedthereon, said feeler member being fulcrumed on said supporting memberabout an axis transversal to the direction of running of the weft threadand having a free oscillating end directed towards the said direction ofrunning, said feeler being capable of oscillating from said activeposition at which it is apt to cooperate with its free end with thecontrol means, said inactive position, said oscillating feeler memberbeing normally urged into its active position, while it is compelled tooscillate to its inactive position under the action of the tensionedweft thread running transversally thereto and contacting said freeoscillating end, whereby said feeler member comes to be in its activeposition whenever the weft thread is not running from the supply meansto the weft thread inserter.

6. A weft stop motion according to claim 5, wherein said oscillatingfeeler member is urged into its active position by the force of gravity.

7. A weft stop motion according to claim 5, wherein said oscillatingfeeler member is urged into its active position by spring means.

8. A weft stop motion according to claim 5, wherein:

a. the control means capable of cooperating with the feeler member ofthe feeler means are mounted on a fixed supporting member, and arearranged sidewise with respect to the path of the running of the weftthread;

b. the supporting member of the oscillating feeler member is caused toreciprocate to and fro with respect to the control means, in a directionwhich is transversal to the direction of running of the weft thread;

. reciprocating means are provided to cause the reciprocation of thesaid supporting member. of the oscillating feeler member in synchronismwith the movement of the weft thread inserter, said means causing themovement of said supporting member towards the control means when theweft thread inserter actually moves across the loom, and causing themovement of the said supporting member away from the control meanswhenever the weft thread inserter comes to a stop;

d. fixed co-axial weft thread guides are provided to guide the runningweft thread between the control means and the feeler member, at leastone thread guide being provided at a point between the weft threadsupply means and the weft stop motion, and at least one thread guidebeing provided at a point between the weft stop motion and the weftthread inserter.

9. A weft stop motion according to claim 8, wherein:

a. the supporting member of the oscillating feeler member is slidablymounted on the fixed supportingmember of the control means;

b. the reciprocating movement to said slidable supporting member isimparted by a rocking lever operatively connected in synchronism to theweft thread inserter.

10. A weft stop motion according to claim 8,

wherein:

a. the control means comprises a switch provided with a pushbuttonfacing the opposed oscillating feeler member of the senser means and thethread guided therebetween, which pushbutton can be actuated in adirection which is transversal to the direction of running of the weftthread and in alignend against the pushbutton of the switch whenever thesaid oscillating member is moved towards the control means under theaction of the reciprocating means.

ment with the reciprocating movement of the -11. A weft stop motionaccording to claim 10, in

which the switch is an electric switch.

12,. A weft stop motion according to claim 10, in

which the switch is a fluid pressure switch.

1. A weft stop motion for shuttleless weaving looms operatively arrangedbetween the weft thread supply means and the weft thread inserter,comprising: a weft senser means, a control means, means for mountingsaid weft senser means for movement relative to the control meansbetween an inactive position and an active position, the active positionincluding an actuating position in which the weft senser means actuatesthe control means and a non-actuating position in which actuation of thecontrol means is excluded, said seft senser means being movable into thepath of the weft as the weft senser means moves from the inactiveposition to the active position, said weft senser means being positionedsuch that as it moves from said inactive position to said activeposition, (a) a moving thread entrains the weft senser means and movesit into said non-actuating position and (b) if the thread is notrunning, the weft senser means moves into said actuating position toactuate the control means.
 2. A weft stop motion according to claim 1,in which the control means actuated by the senser means stop theoperation of the loom.
 3. A weft stop motion according to claim 1, inwhich the control means actuated by the senser means actuate a signalingmeans.
 4. A weft stop motion according to claim 1, in which means areprovided to exclude the actuation of the control means by the associatedsenser means whenever the weft thread inserter, during the normaloperation of the loom, reverses its movement at either end of itsstroke.
 5. A weft stop motion according to claim 1, in which said sensermeans comprise a supporting member and an oscillating feeler membermounted thereon, said feeler member being fulcrumed on said supportingmember about an axis transversal to the direction of running of the weftthread and having a free oscillating end directed towards the saiddirection of running, said feeler being capable of oscillating from saidactive position at which it is apt to cooperate with its free end withthe control means, said inactive position, said oscillating feelermember being normally urged into its active position, while it iscompelled to oscillate to its inactive position under the action of thetensioned weft thread running transversally thereto and contacting saidfree oscillating end, whereby said feeler member comes to be in itsactive position whenever the weft thread is not running from the supplymeans to the weft thread inserter.
 6. A weft stop motion according toclaim 5, wherein said oscillating feeler member is urged into its activeposition by the force of gravity.
 7. A weft stop motion according toclaim 5, wherein said oscillating feeler member is urged into its activeposition by spring means.
 8. A weft stop motion according to claim 5,wherein: a. the control means capable of cooperating with the feelermember of the feeler means are mounted on a fixed supporting member, andare arranged sidewise with respect to the path of the running of theweft thread; b. the supporting member of the oscillating feeler memberis caused to reciprocate to and fro with respect to the control means,in a direction which is transversal to the direction of running of theweft thread; c. reciprocating means are provided to cause thereciprocation of the said supporting member of the oscillating feelermember in synchronism with the movement of the weft thread inserter,said means causing the movement of said supporting member towards thecontrol means when the weft thread inserter actually moves across theloom, and causing the movement of the said supporting member away fromthe control means whenever the weft thread inserter comes to a stop; d.fixed co-axial weft thread guides are provided to guide the running weftthread between the control means and the feeler member, at least onethread guide being provided at a point between the weft thread supplymeans and the weft stop motion, and at least one thread guide beingprovided at a point between the weft stop motion and the weft threadinserter.
 9. A weft stop motion according to claim 8, wherein: a. thesupporting member of the oscillating feeler member is slidably mountedon the fixed supporting member of the control means; b. thereciprocating movement to said slidable supporting member is imparted bya rocking lever operatively connected in synchronism to the weft threadinserter.
 10. A weft stop motion according to claim 8, wherein: a. thecontrol means comprises a switch provided with a pushbutton facing theopposed oscillating feeler member of the senser means and the threadguided therebetween, which pushbutton can be actuated in a directionwhich is transversal to the direction of running of the weft thread andin alignment with the reciprocating movement of the feeler means; b. theoscillating member of the senser means is constructed of such a lengththat, whenever same is in its active position, it can act by pressure ofits free end against the pushbutton of the switch whenever the saidoscillating member is moved towards the control means under the actionof the reciprocating means.
 11. A weft stop motion according to claim10, in which the switch is an electric switch.
 12. A weft stop motionaccording to claim 10, in which the switch is a fluid pressure switch.